Streets of Karakura

“For Your Own Good”: (continued)

Within moments, Aizen and Szayel stood before a quaint, unassuming little home. The air was thick with anticipation. Aizen glanced at Szayel, his lips curling into a sly smile. “She remains quite formidable, and her shield is as impenetrable as ever. I will catch her off guard while you ensnare her in the Caja Negación.”

“Will the Caja Negación even hold her, my Lord? After all, they were created for the Fracción and are to be placed in their hollow hole to trap them.” Szayel’s voice carried a hint of doubt, his eyes narrowing slightly.

“When you are close to her toss it above her and use its command word. Fukumu. Also, It will suffice to hold her long enough for us to transport her to a more secure containment,” Aizen replied confidently, reaching into the sleeve of his kimono to reveal a sleek black band.

“A collar, my Lord? Are you certain it’s necessary to get that close to her?” Szayel’s concern was evident in his tone.

“The collar is only a precaution,” Aizen placed the collar back in his sleeve, “and she can say what she will, but that woman will never harm me,” Aizen reassured him.

“She may not, my Lord, but the Snake most certainly will,” Szayel pointed out, his expression wary.

Aizen’s smirk deepened. “He is far too preoccupied with the intruders to worry about what's happening at this end of town.”

Szayel let out a low chuckle. “No wonder we could not locate Loki.”

“Indeed,” Aizen said, his tone final, as he began walking toward the home's front door, his eyes glinting with determination and the promise of an imminent encounter.

Moved

"Ide!!" shouted Methuselah. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he appeared ran up next to the Shinigami. Tervaden's face was a mix of shock, disappointment then anger...Pure anger. The man's body tensed. His eyes were wide but were still focused on the stop his boy's stood. 

Seto could feel the pressure mounting in his clenched jaw. He held his breathe as he stared at where Ide had stood. He could hear the man beside him...Methuselah...He could hear Methuselah speaking. But, it was muffled. All sound was muffled...Muted... "...Ide..." mumbled Seto. "...Kadaj..."

"Listen!" shouted Methuselah. "Listen!" he pointed one hand while grabbing and shaking Tervaden by the shoulder with the other. "Do you hear that?" Methuselah left the man's side and drew his bow. He pulled it back on the bow as he got closer to where Ide had been. "Tervaden..."

Ide was shaking. But he held tightly onto his little brother. He had to protect him. And, he knew how. Methuselah taught him how to. Shunpo...A quick step away from your enemy. That's what saved his brother. 

"Go...To Urahara's...Now..."

"O...okay..." Ide started to move but he felt someone appear behind him.

"Kenji!" Seto grabbed the Urahara boy by the arm. "Take him and go, please."

Kenji nodded as he pulled his arm from Seto's grasp. "He's gone, by the way."

"Is it Kinzo?" asked Methuselah. 

Kenji nodded. "But, he's injured. Badly. His right arm is messed up."

Methuselah hummed low. "He'll heal. But, my team and I will try to get him captured before then."

"But, what about the mon-....The hollows?" Ide shook his head. 

"Fuck!" grunted Seto. He watched as blood began to pour out of Methuselah's chest. Then, he saw fingertips move through his flesh and blood soaked shirt before Kinzo pull his arm free of the man. "Imai..." Seto drew his blade. 

"Finally." said Kinzo, watching as Methuselah dropped to the ground. He tilted his head to the side. "The man is dead. He can leave Kinzo alone now."

"You're going to pay for that, you little shit."

"Not by you." Kinzo's gaze snapped to the Shinigami. "Kinzo doesn't know you beyond your name, Vale Tervaden. So, we will just warn. Warn you. Leave me alone. And, we won't hurt you. Or your sons..." Kinzo grinned.

"Don't you come near my sons!" Seto tightened his grasp on the hilt of his blade. 
 

Seto stared as the boy stomped and cursed at the pile of ash that was once Methuselah...A man who he once called friend. His held his breath, tightened his hand around the hilt of his blade, then gave himself permission to be angry. To be Vale Tervaden. 

His eyes glowed orange as he called on the power not his own. Chinmoku raged around him. "Hey Kinzo..." He tapped the end of blade to his thigh directing it toward the boy. "Fuck you." Chinmoku slammed into the boy. But, he couldn't keep a hold on him. The boy was quick. Chinmoku was quicker. 

Seto followed the boy's every move. He matched the boy, every time he would disappear and reappear Seto was right in front of him. Someone being able to keep up with him must have been a surprise to the boy, because he grew even more angry than he had been in the beginning. The surprise to Seto though was the boy's appearance. Every time the boy would reappear, there would be more bone covering his body and his face. 

"Hold fucking still, you shit!" shouted Seto. The boy reminded him of Koga. But, without the gargantas....Or Hora's voids. "Stand still and let me kill you!"

"You can't kill Kinzo!" he answered back, appearing on the street. He looked to the Shinigami who was floating on the air just above him. Kinzo was fully covered in bone. He was in, what Methuselah called, a makeshift hollow's release. If human was his primary form, then this would be his secondary. "But, Kinzo will kill you."

Seto chuckled as he looked down. "Sada Teruo couldn't kill me...You'll get no closer than he did...Besides..." Seto settled to the pavement before pointing to the lurking Chinmoku. "You've already forgotten that I'm not the only thing chasing you."